Nashville lawyer Stephen Kenneth Rush passed away on July 22 after complications from a fall at his home. He was 79. After serving in the Navy, Rush earned his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School. He went on the practice law in Nashville for the remainder of his life, especially enjoying working in international affairs, music and copyright law. A celebration of life was held for Rush in July in Nashville. Donations can be made in his memory to Woodmont Christian Church, 3601 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215.

Wyatt Nowlin Taylor, a former judge in Bedford County, died on Oct. 25. He was 89. Taylor served in the U.S. Army for three years, then earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law and went into private practice in Shelbyville in 1964. Throughout his legal career, Taylor served as city attorney and was a judge in the Bedford County General Sessions and Juvenile courts for 18 years. Visitation and funeral services were held over the weekend for Taylor in Shelbyville. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to New Destiny Dog Rescue, P.O. Box 42, Wartrace, TN 37183.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. “Bob” Simpson died on Oct. 18. He was 93. A graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, Simpson worked in private practice before joining the Justice Department in 1966. Simpson was the longest serving assistant U.S. Attorney in the nation upon his retirement in 2008 after 42 years as an AUSA in the Eastern District. During his career, Simpson worked a variety of cases, most notable was the 1983 “Butcher” case involving the biggest banking scandal in Tennessee. A celebration of Simpson’s life will be arranged at a later date. Any consideration of memories may be made to U.T. College of Law, 1505 W. Cumberland Ave., Ste. 278, Knoxville 37996-1810 or to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Friends of the Smokies, P.O. Box 1660, Kodak 37764.

Sevier County General Sessions Clerk Connie Holt was found dead inside her home, WKRN reports. According to District Attorney General Jimmy Dunn, the deaths of Holt and boyfriend, Eric Peters, appear to be the result of a murder-suicide. Holt began working for the county in 1994 and was elected clerk in 2002. Court proceedings are canceled today and tomorrow to mourn her passing. Penny Johnson was sworn in as acting clerk yesterday morning and will serve until the county commission appoints an interim clerk.

Memphis lawyer Lenal Anderson Jr. died Oct. 9. Visitation was held today. A memorial service will take place tomorrow at noon CDT in the Goldsmith Room of the Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis, TN 38117. Anderson attended Tougaloo College and earned a master in business administration from Harvard Business School. While in business school, he worked with fellow Tougaloo graduates to register African-Americans to vote in the Mississippi Delta. Several years later he earned his law degree from Columbia Law School. In 1979, Anderson returned to Memphis to teach and chair the business administration division at Lemoyne-Owen College. He also opened a private law practice where he served for more than 40 years. For the past eight years, he practiced with his daughter Nena. Donations may be made to the Memphis Area Tougaloo Alumni Chapter Scholarship Fund, C/O Sylvia Gray, 1612 Autumn Tree Cove, Cordova, TN 38016.

Knoxville area lawyer James Anthony “Jim” Ridley III died Oct. 12 at the age of 79. A graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, Ridley first served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Robert L. Taylor. He later became a partner at Kramer Rayson and worked there until he started a solo practice in Fountain City. Ridley was active in Alcoholics Anonymous for more than 40 years and founded a local chapter of the "Lawyers for Concerned Lawyers" to help recovering lawyers deal with substance abuse problems. A celebration of life will be held Monday at noon EDT at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension, 800 S. Northshore Dr., Knoxville 37919. Burial will follow on Tuesday at Gallatin City Cemetery, 250 Cemetery Ave., Gallatin 37066. Memorial donations may be made to the Fish Pantry at FISH Hospitality Pantries, 800 Northshore Dr., Knoxville, TN 37919.

Nashville attorney Charles B. Reasor Jr., died on Oct. 5 after a suffering from congestive heart failure. He was 75. Reasor joined Nashville’s Boult, Cummings, Conners & Berry after graduating from Vanderbilt Law School in 1975. He later founded the law firm of White & Reasor with David J. White and practiced there until his death. Reasor’s practice focused on commercial real estate transactions and commercial restructurings, and he lectured frequently on commercial workout techniques. He was a TBA and Nashville Bar Association member and was known to provide pro bono services to churches and other non-profits over the course of his 46-year career. A private interment was held for Reasor at his family's cemetery in Kentucky and, due to public heatlh considerations, there will not be a formal visitation. Those who wish to share their memories and sentiments may send notes to the family in care of White & Reasor PLC, Two American Center, Ste. 400, 3102 West End Ave., Nashville, TN 37203.

Former state Rep. Jim Coley has died, The Tennessee Journal reports. The Bartlett Republican served in the House of Representatives from 2006 to 2019. He did not seek re-election last year after battling various illnesses. A former public school teacher, Coley formed strong friendships across the political spectrum and was known for his work against human trafficking. At the time of his retirement, the Commercial Appeal reported he had been diagnosed with early stage dementia. The Memphis Flyer reports he had been receiving chemotherapy for myeloma cancer. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Carl Moore, a former state lawmaker and co-founder of Bristol Motor Speedway, died Thursday. He was 91. Moore served in the Tennessee House of Representatives and Senate and as majority leader of the Senate. He later represented the city of Bristol as a lobbyist. In 1961, he and a group of colleagues were inspired to build a racetrack in Bristol after watching a NASCAR race in North Carolina. Moore also was involved in a number of historic preservation efforts and was instrumental in passage of federal and state legislation designating Bristol as “The Birthplace of Country Music.” A celebration of life will be planned at a later date. Donations may be made to Emmanuel Episcopal Church or Bristol Speedway Children’s Charities.

Family, friends and colleagues gathered at Franklin First United Methodist Church on Friday for a funeral service in remembrance of Justice Cornelia A. “Connie” Clark, the Administrative Office of the Courts reports. Chief Justice Roger A. Page spoke to those in attendance, praising Clark’s “comprehension and grasp of the law” but also her “innate wisdom and benevolent heart.” The other current justices also spoke, as did Clark’s longtime friends and Nashville-area lawyers Margaret L. Behm and Julian Bibb. A private family graveside service was held following the service at the Historic Resthaven Cemetery. To honor Justice Clark, memorial donations may be given to Franklin First United Methodist Church or to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation.